Coronavirus update: Nearly 7,000 Californians hospitalized, 5 more dead in Sacramento County

This week, California became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, which itself is the nation leading in worldwide infection numbers.

California now has more total infections than New York, which had long been seen as the de facto virus hotspot owing to the state’s dense population and economic import. California still has more cases than Florida as well, though that state has seen rising infections in recent weeks.

Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that California has outpaced its easterly counterparts by tens of thousands of infections. New York State has seen a total of 410,000 infections, although it has still seen more deaths by far than other states, with 32,000 killed by COVID-19. Florida’s infections have also inched ahead of New York, with 414,000 people in the state confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus and more than 5,000 dead.

The California Department of Public Health, meanwhile, has reported 435,000 infections and almost 8,200 deaths across the state, figures that are trending upwards.

In the past two weeks, infections have gone up dramatically. The CDPH reported an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases of 43 percent in 14 days, while deaths have gone up by over 19 percent in the same time.

Those increases have resulted in a greater rate of hospitalization. Nearly 7,000 Californians are being treated in hospitals for confirmed cases of COVID-19, roughly 2,000 of whom are in intensive care units.

In mid-June, which is about when the number of cases in California began to surge again, there were just over 3,300 patients in hospitals and 1,000 patients in ICUs. Statewide hospitalizations have increased by about 110 percent since then.

The state’s single deadliest day was this week, when 157 people were reported dead of COVID-19 by the CDPH on Wednesday. Also this week: a record-setting day for infections, when 12,807 people were confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

Coronavirus in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer

At the local level, trends seem to be generally in line with those at the state level. Sacramento County, like California, has recently seen spikes in infections and hospitalizations.

As of Friday, county health officials reported 8,636 total infections and 108 deaths since the start of the pandemic. On Saturday, 82 new cases were added to the total and five more deaths were reported. Data from the CDPH shows that infections have risen by 66 percent and deaths by 25 percent in the past two weeks — both of which are higher than the California average during that time period.

State data shows that 239 Sacramento County residents are currently hospitalized and 69 are in ICUs. In the past two weeks, hospitalizations in the county have increased by 52 percent. There are 61 ICU beds still available for the county’s roughly 1.5 million residents.

Yolo County health officials have reported a total of 1,342 cases and 37 deaths. On Thursday, 51 new cases of coronavirus were added to the tally by county health officials, and on Friday, 41 more were added. Saturday’s update adeed 27 additional cases. There are currently 15 patients in county hospitals, seven of whom are in ICUs. The county has eight ICU beds remaining, according to state data. The county has seen outbreaks at several long-term care facilities, which account for 112 of the total number of cases and 20 the deaths.

Woodland’s Stollwood Convalescent Hospital reported an outbreak in April and it is still the most severe outbreak in the county. There, 66 people connected to the facility have been infected with coronavirus and 17 have died.

At Alderson Convalescent Hospital, also in Woodland, 11 residents and nine staff members have been infected. Courtyard Healthcare Center in Davis has reported infections in six residents and four staff members.

Placer County has reported 1,559 cases and 13 deaths. On Friday, 28 more people were confirmed to have coronavirus. County officials reported a record-high day of infections on July 19, when 83 new cases were added, beating out the county’s previous record for highest daily infections from July 5, when 49 people were confirmed to have coronavirus. There are 57 people hospitalized in the county and 11 are being treated in ICUs. The county has 28 ICU beds available.

El Dorado County has reported a total of 513 cases and just one death from COVID-19. One week since the county’s last reporting date, 394 people had tested positive for coronavirus, meaning that in seven days the total number of infections has increased by a third. There is currently one person being treated in an ICU in a county hospital. The county has 12 ICU beds available. El Dorado County, despite reporting its first death last week, remains the only county in the greater Sacramento area to have not been placed onto the state’s regional coronavirus watchlist, reflecting its relatively low number of cases.

Sutter County has reported a total of 615 cases and four deaths. Last Saturday, the county had reported 502 cases, indicating an increase in infections of 22 percent in seven days. On Thursday, health officials added 35 new cases of coronavirus, tying a record for highest daily infections. Thirteen people are currently being hospitalized.

In neighboring Yuba County, 356 people have been infected and three have died. Since last week, 99 more cases were added to the total. On Saturday, five new cases were added and on Friday, 16 new cases were added in one of the highest single-day infection reports. On Tuesday, 20 people tested positive for coronavirus, which set a daily infection record. Six people in Yuba County are currently being hospitalized.

Worldwide, more than 15.8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus and over 641,000 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States accounts for the largest share of infections for any one country, with 4.1 million cases and 145,000 deaths. Brazil is the next leading nation, with just over 2.2 million infections and 85,000 deaths. India has reported 1.3 million total infections and 31,000 deaths.

What is COVID-19? How is the coronavirus spread?

Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within 6 feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

Symptoms of the virus that causes COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure.

Most people develop only mild symptoms, but some people develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal. The disease is especially dangerous to the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.

This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 11:08 AM.